The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1887-07-02

umphs around the world; which has
taught that subtle force, electricity, to
make its obedient flight through space,
bearing the thoughts Of man, and even
the accents of his voice, or pausing in
the carbon, to burst into splendor like
sun kindled in the darkness of the
night; which has overcome the obsta-
cles to communication, SurmOunted the
stormy barrier of the great deep, and in
speed of communication Outstripped
the flight of the revolving earth, thus
effecting the unity of the human race,
the solidarity of mankind. This is the
work of the educated man. And he
has mission yet to carry these tri-
umphs further, revealing new wonders
in the realm of nature.
Again the educated man has mission
to this age because of its conditions OF
freedom of thought and speech and pop
ular government. Freedom OF thought
and speech is not an uncondi toned priv
ilege The only condition on which it
can safely be granted, is the intelligence
Of thought and the temperance of speech.
This right is great peril and an immense
responsibility. Its abuse by the igno-
rant, unbalanced and passionate is 80
great an evil that unless it can be largely
under the control OF educated and disci-
plined men, it is open to question whether
society would not be better off without
it. Not only is eternal vigilance the
price of liberty, but endless discipline
and tempering of men by education, in
order that liberty may be 30 used as not
to become license and defeat itself. In
this country the press has almost unlim-
tied freedom and vast power. It Ii q
question Of most Importance into whose
hands this mighty force is placed. A
partisan press, interruptions, venal and
fanatical, is capable OF incalculable inju-
ry. 1t may diminish regard for truth, re-
spect for worth in character and for the
eacredness of private relations, may de-
bauch public sentiment, fire the most
dangerous passions and let loose anarchy
upon the State. 1t is not an outcry of
pessimism, but the judgment Of calm OBJ
servation that such a peril actually
threatens us from considerable portion
of the press of this country which is given
over to crude sensationalism and is so
interruptions as not to hesitate to en-
ploy all resources of abuse and perver-
sion OF facts to gain point in partisan
contest, or overthrow an opponent. The
press ought to be in the hands of edu-
Gated men-of men we'll trained and bal
anced, and Of that deliberate impartiality
which only wide knowledge and honest
investigation can bestow. Many of our
newspapers are already in the hands OF
such men, and through them has the de-
liverance of the press from ignominy be-
gun. Education tends to the production
| of breadth Of view, impartiality and re.
spect for worth. 1t does not destroy par
tizanship, but dignifes and chastens it..
Here, then, is one of the most promising
fields in which the mission of the edu-
Gated man can be exercised.
Free government furnishes field of
vast possibilities for the educated man.
in the ideal republican state every citi-
zen should be potential statesman. But
if such condition is Utopian, certainly a
very large number of educated men, ca
pable of independent Judgment, clear
discrimination and bipartisan temper is
indispensable. The true place for the
educated man, however, is in the higher
places of official service, in the halls of
| legislation, on the bench, in the seat of
administration. Craftsmanship requires
the highest talent disciplined by study
and broadened by historical knowledge.
Free government is exposed to many
perils, and one of the greatest which
| threatens ours is the degradation of the
public service-the encroachment of COR
ruption upon the vital parts of the body
polite. The called spoils system can
not but be fatal to the seltrespect, integ-
rity and purity of the civil service. 1t is
its fatal curse that it attracts spoilsmen
and despoilers. The root of the evil is in
| the spoilsmen's view of office as the re-
ward of party service-that public office
instead of being public trust is party
trust-that allegiance and service to the
party are primary, to the country second
airy. Hence the struggle to secure party
success at all hazards, hence unscrupul-
BUSINESS, venality and corruption of cleo.
tons.
The view of the educated man is nee
essarily opposed to all this. All the force
of his education and his instincts lead
him to regard merit as the sole test of
fitness for public Office. The system of
competitive examinations, in which, with
all that legitimately belongs to it, lies the
hope of the redemption of the public SER
vice, is concession to the educat ed sem
timent of the country.
The educated man has also a mission
to the world in the interest of religion
the greatest theme with which the human
mind can occupy itself, and one with
which the Hottest intellects have been
employed from Plato to Spinoza and
Kant. 1t is exposed in our times to a
three fold danger: a. The crudity and
limitation of mind which result from ig-
/ =